Meet Tah

Tah is 22, and he is building a future with purpose. After earning his GED, he's been accepted into Warren Wilson College, where he plans to study environmental engineering. 

“I want to study environmental engineering because you get to work on the land and heal it, plant trees, and make sure nobody messes anything up. That’s gonna be very cool, like a ranger, but on steroids.”

Through Hood Huggers Foundation's Under Instruction Program, he has been building homes with Habitat for Humanity, participating in recovery efforts with M.S. Lean Landscaping, leading community service at Burton St, and growing into the kind of person he's proud to be.

“I had no direction, and being part of HHF helped me find direction and real support from people who actually see what I can see. I found my place, finally. I’ve gained confidence from showing up, teaching myself that I could get up, go, and be there—no matter rain, sleet, or snow—every single day, regardless of the obstacles. Every time I did it, I learned that I could keep doing it.”

Tah has walked a long road to get here, and now he’s ready for a new chapter.

“What would I tell my younger self? I’d probably give myself some hope, some clarity, because as a kid, I didn’t know where I was going to be. I’d tell him, ‘You’re good.’ That would really change things, because nobody ever told me that. I’d tell him, ‘It’ll be alright, you’ll make it.’ That would give him peace of mind, because growing up in the system most of my life, I didn’t grow up with much peace.”

Thank you, Tah, for sharing your story with us!